Nah, we’re not lost! (Backpacker to Nomad book excerpt no 5: Campervanning in New Zealand)
Nah, we’re not lost! (Backpacker to Nomad book excerpt no 5: Campervanning in New Zealand)
I’m delighted to present an exclusive sneak peek book excerpt for my new travel memoir ‘Backpacker to Nomad’
Book Launched: July 27th 2022
Sit back, grab a snack and enjoy this campervanning New Zealand sneak peek.
lost again campervanning New Zealand
“You are such a dickhead, Amit — not again!”
It wasn’t the usual soft southern German accent floating across from the driver’s seat to the passenger side of the campervan. It was stern, and a good job Alex was still driving. The tarmac on the road outside had turned to loose white stone, like an old dry dirt road not used in years as the bushes grew thicker and taller on either side of it. There hadn’t been a single vehicle go past us in hours.
Although my finger traced along the map resting on my lap, it didn’t feel right. It had been hours since we left the wide-open sprawling highway. In our — well, in my — infinite wisdom, I suggested coming off the highway and following what I thought would be a scenic route to the campsite. I may have been wrong, but the highway provided the view of rolling green hills and this route provided bushes closing up on us. But I couldn’t admit that.
“What do you mean ‘not again’?” I asked, knowing what the response would be.
“We are lost again. All the time getting lost!”
There was no need to look to know her nostrils were flaring — her tone said it all.
Yup, we are 100% lost, not a clue where we are, and probably should have just stuck to the main highway. This map doesn’t look right either.
Lost in New Zealand was the game
“No, we’re not lost… look, the map says we’re going the right way. It’s OK, just keep going.”
“How can I look, dickhead? I am driving, but I do not believe. I know you too well. And, of course, I keep going. I’m not just going to stop in the middle of nothingness. Dickhead!”
Since getting lost on the very first night heading up to the most northern tip of the country, it had become our thing, getting lost was a regular occurrence, the only difference was that this time, it was in the heartlands of the North Island. Before the coast was always reachable, tonight, having left behind the rotten-egg-smelling, sulphur-fuelled Rotorua, we were heading further inland.
No plans while backpacking in New Zealand
Rotorua and the Coromandel and abseiling into the Waitomo Caves just outside Hamilton had been the highlights so far. The sulphur park, the natural hot springs, geysers erupting, the Mauri experience, learning the Haka, eating food cooked under the ground — all had been amazing experiences. But the foul eggy stench of sulphur would not be missed.
I couldn’t take all the blame for getting lost… we had both decided not to plan anything except for a general idea of direction — from Auckland to Christchurch, touring both islands. We wanted to freestyle it because of both our experiences travelling Australia with everything planned and organised. This trip was unplanned, discovering and finding things as we go, so technically, we had never got lost — just discovered, like the true explorers we were.
